Health Care for Veterans

The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center

The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been recognized as the web's leading organization for relevant and authoritative information regarding asbestos and health complications associated with asbestos exposure.

Their organization is staffed entirely by writers and other developers who recognize the importance of building awareness in the fight against cancer. They realize that sometimes the greatest resource we can provide is support and education.

How Mesothelioma Affects Veterans

Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of the rare cancer known as mesothelioma (the most common form of this cancer is pleural mesothelioma). This cancer affects the protective lining around the lungs called the 'mesothelium.' Asbestos related lung diseases and cancer are not easily diagnosed and unfortunately, are not evident in the body until many years after exposure.

There are many individuals who have been exposed to this deadly fiber in their homes and work locations. Typical environments where asbestos was used were shipyards, construction sites, and places where the fiber was used for insulation purposes. What most people fail to recognize, however, is that many US veterans who served in the military were also exposed to the toxic hazards of asbestos in their daily routines.

Those who may have been directly or indirectly in contact with asbestos fibers include Navy shipyard workers, other military branches and even civilian workers employed on or off shore in different commands. Research shows that specific jobs exposed workers to asbestos. These include machinists mates, machinery repairmen, and those who worked in boiler rooms. There is a higher rate among those workers on different Navy Ships for contracting the deadly disease. This was due to asbestos being used more frequently in shipyards than any other military location in the country. Since mesothelioma and other lung related diseases are triggered in later stages of life, veterans who were involved in the military between 1940 and 1970 are those that are at an increased risk.